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COMPOUND LOCK AND LABEL-SHEATH.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 27,728, dated April 3, 1860.

To all whom, it may concern.'

Be it known that I, SAMUEL W. MARSH, of the city and county of`Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented and made certainnew and useful improvements in compound lock and label-sheaths forsecuring labels and addresses and attaching the same to mail-bags,trunks, packages, boxes, and for various other purposes; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofrthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making apart of this specification.

Figure l, represents a lock and label sheath combined, showing theaddress. Fig. 2, represents the face, or front of a label sheath,Without the lock, combined. Fig. 3, represents the back part of theshell of the sheath. Fig. 4, represents a face or front part of theshell detached. Fig. 5, represents the back part of the other half ofthe shell. Fig. 6, represents an edge view of the back part half of theshell of the sheath.

Fig. 7, represents an edge view of the front or face half of the shellof the sheath. Figs. 8 and 9, represent the label or card detached.Figs. 10 and ll, represent another form of label sheath and label, whichlike Figs. 2 and 3, may be confined or held by the hasp of a lock.

The nature of my invention, consists in constructing a compound lock andsafety label sheath for, inclosing or holding, a printed, written,stamped, or other kind of label, printed address, or card, for thepurpose of attaching the saine, securely and eX- peditiously to mailbags, trunks, packages, boxes, and for other purposes.

The better to enable others to understand the nature of, construct anduse my invention, I describe the same as follows; not however confiningor limiting myself to any especial or particular shape, or manner ofattaching the salne.

At Fig. l, a, a, a, a, a is indicated a metal sheath or case with solidor closed back, and open face or front part b, b, one end of the sheathor case being formed with, or at tached to a lock of any required,suitable kind, and form. This metallic sheath or case may be made of twoor more parts; a front part or shell as indicated at Fig. 4, a2, a2, aa, a, formed of cast or stamped metal, of about an eighth of an inchthick the part having the hole in it, being something thicker or swelledas indicated at a2 Fig. '7, and the sides or edges provided with smallsuitable ears or flanches b2-b2-b3, Figs. 4 and 7. The back part of theshell or sheath is of similar shape to the front, but is solid, with arim or flange-like format-ion cZ-Z-dw-fL-fZ-d, from an eighth to threesixteenths of an inch thickness, across and in depth. This rim orflange, extends around the side edges and the lower end, while the upperor hole end (Z2, el, (Z2, has no such formation, but is left open asindicated in Fig. 5.

The rim or flange, on the side edges and the end of the back part of theshell of the sheath, has small sunken formations or grooves e-e-e,corresponding in shape to the ears or flanches 62-52-52-52-53. This backpart Fig. 5, has also a swelled or thick end f, Fig. 6.

In order to form the sheath, the two parts, or the front and back, Figs.4, and 5, are placed together the surfaces gmg, opposite, when the earsor flanches bz-bg-bg-bz-S, enter the sunken or groove places e-ewee-e,when a slight pressure by suitable machinery; or a blow of a hammer willturn down the ears or flanches and draw up closely and securely togetherthe two halves; the front and back, and thus form a sheath, or case,with a cavity or space suitable to receive one or more labels asoccasion may require, and thus constituting a safety label sheath orcase as represented in Figs. 2 and 3, showing the front or open face,and the back or closed part, with the hole d2, for connecting the haspof a lock.

The sheath can be of any design or shape and either be formed with alock, or on the back of a lock, and with two holes, one at each end asat z/-z-Fig. 10, with one or both ends open for the convenience ofslipping in the label.

The label sheath represented in Fig. l0 is designed to be attached byeither a lock or strap, or hook, for which the holes d2, are intended.

The design of enlarging or making the end with the hole cl2 thick orswelled, is to give strength and to prevent mashing down of the shellwhere the label is inserted.

In the form of sheaths represented in Fig. l, the label is introducedinto the sheath at the lower end, and to prevent the falling ont of theslip or label any little spring, or catch device can be attached withbut little or no additional expense.

In the forms Figs. 2, 3, the label is inserted at the upper end, thehasp of the lock, preventing slipping out.

The advantages sought after, and claimed as belonging to my invention,are durability, simplicity, and cheapness of construction, and greatutility; and in the use and adaptation thereof, all that is requisite iswhen a mail-bag,'or any other article is to be forwarded, the label orslip with the direction or address is inserted in the sheath where it issecure from being torn off, or defaced by ordinary usage or wear andtear, and for greater protection the sheath or case can be provided witha facing or inserted shield of mica, or other transparent substance.

In the usual or ordinary mode of forwarding mail-bags, and packages,stamped checks, of metal, wood or leather are used, and, the deviceitself has to be taken off, and changed and others substituted, whendifferent locations or places are to be forwarded to, thus requiring animmense number of separate individual checks, and requiring repeated,attaching, and detaching, thereby involving much expense, delay andtrouble in forwarding. But with the aid of my compound lock and sheath,or safety label, all that is requisite is to have slips or cards printedor written on one or both sides, with the same, or different addresses,or directions, and for example, in forwarding from Vashington to NewYork, a label with one side, having New York, and the other sideWashington, thereon is inserted -in the sheath, with the direction NewYork,

visible, then when the mail-bag is to be returned to Washington the sameslip or card is turned, and reinserted exposing the directionWashington. Thus, one sheath, and one label slip or card answers adouble purpose, and in like manner, can one sheath, with various dierentaddresses or directions be used, between numerous places, thus greatlyfacilitating the handling and forwarding of inail-bags, &c., affordingmuch greater security, and safety in the forwarding, and greatlycheapening the present system of forwarding articles by address ordirection.

Having shown, and described the nature, construction, ,application andmany advantages of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

The construction of a compound lock, and safety label sheath, or labelcase, and label as represented in the drawings Figs. l, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and substantially as herein set forth and described.

HENRY YEATMAN, THOMAS C. DONAN.

